Cooperage-lamp.



A. H. KLOTZ.

COOPERAGE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25,1916.

Patented July 3, 1917 ARTHUR H. .KLOTZ, or DAYTON, onro.

COOPERAGE-LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed August 25, 1916. Serial No. 116,815.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. Know, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cooperage- Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric lamps and more particularly to cooperage lamps for examining the interior of barrels and casks but has been found equally useful for examining the interior of engine cylinders, plumbing installation, and, in an elongated form, for examining the interior of boiler tubes.

The object of the inventlon is to simplify the structure as well as the means and mode of operation of such devices whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction, but will be more efficient in use, capable of being easily and readily inserted into restricted openings, safe and efficient, and unlikely to get out of repair.

l/Vith the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the assembled device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the tube or inclosure I illustrating the relative positions of the openings. Fig. 4 is a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 illustrates the mode of operation or use of the device as employed for the examination of the interior of kegs or casks.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Cooperage lamps or similar devices as heretofore usually constructed are of com paratively large size or consist of an enlarged illuminating head upon an extended stem which must necessarily be introduced into the cask or keg through the bung hole thereof. The introduction of the lamp through the bung hole of the keg or cask through which the observation of the interior must also necessarily be made inter feres seriously with the view of the interior thereof. This is due to the obstruction of the observers view by the interposed stem or support for the illuminating head and the fact that a glaring light is thrown directly into the observers eyes. One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a device of minimum diameter throughout which may be introduced through the tap hole of the keg or cask, thereby permitting the observer an unob struoted view of the interior of the cask through the bung hole thereof.

To protect the observers eyes against the glare of light the tubular housing is perforated in such manner that an unperforated portion or section of the tube remains which may be turned toward the operators point of view to protect his eyes while looking within the keg or cask. The fact that the housing or tubular container is of substantially equal minimum diameter throughout its length enables the device to be introduced into other small openings or restricted places as into an engine cylinder through the inlet or exhaust'port thereof. This permits the observer to examine the interior of the cylinder by viewing it through the other unobstructed port.

The fact that the tubular housing is of substantially equal diameter throughout also permits its use for examining the interior of plumbing to determine the condition of the joints or the condition of the interior of the pipe, tolocate obstructions, etc, and in an elongated form of several feet the device has been successfully used for examining the interior of boiler tubes to determine their condition, the existence of scale, etc.

In constructing the device there is employed a tubular housing or pipe 1 which may beof any desired length or diameter, properly proportioned for the use to which the device is to be applied. At one end the tubular housing or pipe is provided with a plurality of holes or illumination orifices 222. These orifices 2 are preferably, though not necessarily, arranged in two parallel series, the orifices of which are olfset or staggered in relation onewith the other as shown in Fig. 2. These two series of orifices may be diametrically opposite one to the other but are preferably arranged in somewhat angular relation as indicated by the dot and dash lines Fig. The dot and dash lines in this figure indicate'the extent of the openings 2, i. 6., the line a:zu indicates the extent of the openings of one series as clearly shown by the sectioned and unsectioned portions of the figure, while the line g 1 indicates the extent of the openings or orifices of the opposite series, located beyond the plane of the section in which this view is taken. By this arrangement of the perforations there remains intermediate the points 00 and ;1 an unperforated portion of considerable extent which when the device is in use, is turned upward or toward the eye of the observer thereby affording a protec tion to the eye and excluding the glare of light, thus enabling the observer to more clearly see the interior of the chamber under examination.

At its extremity the tubular housing or pipe 1 is provided with a cap or plug 3 which may be either screw threaded into the extremity of the pipe 1 or may be fixedly secured by soldering brazing or by other means. At its opposite end the tubular housing 1 is connected to a head or electrical socket a such as is commonly used for incandescent lamps. In the present instance the tubular housing 1 has been shown connected to that side or end of the socket memher 4- which is ordinarily connected to the bracket or fixture support, leaving the opposite enlarged or lamp receiving end of the socket open and free. 'In the drawing, the socket has been shown as of the switch type such as is commonly used and will not be shown in detail. It is to be understood, however, that a non-switch socket may be employed or that a plug unit may be sub stituted for the socket unit shown.

Within the tubular housing 1 is a lining 5 preferably of insulating material which extends throughout the length of the tubular housing and is perforated or provided with openings which register with the openings 2 of the tubular housing. This not only affords electrical protection and prevents the short circuiting or grounding of the device, particularly when employed in examination of metal bodies such as engine cylinders or boiler tubes, but also serves as a cushion to protect the illuminating member or lamp bulb 6 against breakage due to shock or impact. The illuminating bulb 6 is of the elongated cylindrical type of such length as to extend throughout the length of the series of openings 2. This lamp is supported within the tubular housing 1 upon a tubular stem 7 of insulating material which extends within the housing and through which the circuit wires 8 extend to the socket member or head 4.

In assembling the device the lamp may be secured to the end of the tubular stem 7 and the circuit wires 8 extended therethrough and engaged with the socket or head 4 and the wires drawn tight to prevent longitudinal play of the tubular stem or bulb in relation with the socket or head. The housing or tube 1 may then be placed about the lamp and stem and engaged with the socket or head 4 either by a screw threaded joint or by a slip joint, according to the character of thesocket employed. The device is connected with an electric lighting circuit by the insertion of the usual plug'9 within the open end of the socket member l or vice versa in the event that the plug member is employed upon the tubular housing 1 in lieu of the :socket head at. The device is then ready for use and may be inserted through a small or restricted opening such as the tap hole 10 of the keg 11 while the observer applieshis eyeto the bung hole 12 thereof. It will be understood that the tubular housing is so turned that the observers' eye is protected by the unperforated portion intermediate the points :0 and 3 of Fig. 3. By this arrangement of the openings 2 the light is directed away from the'observers eye.

Vhile for most purposes a straight device 7 willbe found most useful, for certain conditions of use it may be desirable to bend the tubular housing 1 to any desired curvature to accommodate it to the position in which it is to be used. however, there is retained a substantially straight section 13 (Fig. 4) adjacent to the terminal of the tubular housing which see- In such event,

tion contains the perforations or orifices 22 and incloses the elongated cylindrical illuminating bulb 6. However, the portion intermediate the bulb containing section 13 and the head or socket member 41: may be either permanently bent to the desired arcuate form or, may be formed of flexible material such as lead or'an alloy containing lead orothermalleable metal and the interior insulation 5 and 7 u may be of a flexible nature to enable the operator to bend the V tubular housing to any desired shape to accommodate it to the position in which it is to be used. v

From the abovedescription it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described, possessing the L particularv features of advantage beforeenumerated as desirable but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportion, detail construction, or arrangement of parts without departing from the prinl ciple involved or'saerificing any of its advantages. V

While in ordcrto comply with the statute the invention has been described in lan guage more or less specific as to certain structural features, it is to be understood that the means and construction herein clescribedv comprise but one mode of putting the invention into effect and the invention is therefore claimed broadly" in any of its possible forms or modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a lamp of the character described, an elongated tubular housing of substantially equal diameter throughout, having a series of openings adjacent to one end there- 'of, a head at the opposite end of the housing comprising one member of an electrical union, an elongated electric illuminating bulb located within the perforated portion of the housing, a protective lining within said tubular housing and surrounding said illuminating bulb, a tubular stem of insulating material interposed between the illuminating bulb and said head, and electrical conductors extending through said tubular stem connecting the illuminating bulb to said head.

2. In a lamp of the character described, an elongated tubular housing, said tubular housing having adjacent to one end thereof two series of perforations, the perforations of the respective series being staggered or offset in relation one with the other, an electrical illuminating bulb within the perforated portion of the housing, and electrical conductors extending through said tubular housing to said illuminating bulb.

3. In a lamp of the character described, an elongated tubular housing, said housing having two series of perforations adjacent to one end thereof, the said series of perforations being arranged in close proximity one to the other whereby there will remain at one side of the tubular housing an unperforated portion of greater width than in tervenes between the series of perforations at the opposite side of the housing, an electrical illuminating bulb located within the perforated portion of the housing, and electrical conductors leading through the lions ing to the illuminating bulb.

4:. In a lamp of the character described, a tubular housing of such size as to adapt it to be introduced into a keg or cask through the tap hole thereof, a head carried at one end of said housing having electrical union connections, said housing having a plurality of perforations adjacent to the opposite end, an electrical illuminating member located in the perforated portion of said housing, electrical conductors connecting the electrical illuminating member with said head, and means for supporting said illuminating member within said tubular housing in fixed relation with the perforations, said perforations being so located in the housing as to leave an unperforated section adapted to be interposed between the illuminating member and the eye of the observer when applied to the bung hole of the keg or cask.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of August A. D. 1916.

ARTHUR H. KLOTZ.

Witnesses OSCAR C. O'r'r, VERNA G. THEOBALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

